Shortlist: John Robshaw

12 things the fabric maestro can't live without

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Textile guru John Robshaw developed wanderlust early. He lived in Rome as a student ("with superlong hair and a Vespa") and later learned block printing firsthand from artisans in India, Indonesia, and China. The New York–based bachelor is on the road three months of the year, and he's been known to start a conversation by drawing on his knowledge of French birdcalls. Robshaw began as a painter working with fabric. "I approach textiles with an art-school background, where you can do whatever you want," he says. "I ask myself, How can I mess around with this design? How can I add some depth?" His bedding, pillows, and table linens are printed with the brilliant colors and patterns of Central and Southeast Asia—mesmerizing geometrics, intricate florals, and flowing stripes, not to mention the occasional elephant. And he is fascinated by the flamboyantly dressed wandering sadhus, or holy men, of India. "They remind me that there are other paths," he says. "I could chuck it all and hit the road—with some good colors."